Looking for Something in Red
by Stephen Ratliff
Summary: Marrissa Story, First Adventures. Captain Picard watches his adopted daughter at the Enterprise's talent show


**Looking For Something In Red**

"Welcome to the seventh annual Enterprise Children's Talent Show," Troi said. Captain Picard sat in the front row. He'd politely attended the past five of these. It was better to sit in the back row ignoring everything, and just present the winner with the trophy than sit through a command performance of "The Laughing Vulcan and His Dog." Unfortunately, this year he'd been informed that a back row seat was not acceptable for the father of a participant. "Our first group is preforming a rewrite of their own devising of an old Country-Western song from the 1990s. Preforming 'Looking for Something in Red,' Clara Sutter, Jay Gordon, and Marrissa Picard,"

Jean-Luc looked up at the stage just in time to see Clara Sutter walk into the spotlight. The young girl was wearing what appeared to be a Star Fleet Admiral's uniform from the mid 23rd Century. Her clear young voice rang out with the first verse.

I'm looking for something in red

Something that's visible to turn someone's head

Crimson or Scarlet, to hide all the blood there

An eye-catching number, security wear

The guaranteed number to knock the men dead

I'm looking for something in red

A giggle ran through the audience as Clara stepped back from the spot light. The term "redshirt" was entrenched in Star Fleet lore, almost a century after the color had moved from security/engineering to command. Now Jay stepped into the spot light, dressed in what appeared to be a captain's uniform from Kirk's first five year mission. In fact, if Jean-Luc was not mistaken, Jay was dressed as a passable Kirk. His young tenor voice picked up the song.

I'm looking for something in green

An friend I must save from a vulcan queen

Jealousy comes in the color of jade

Do you have lirpas and ahn-woons in the glade

For the admirals whisper "Please come back to me"

I'm looking for something in green

Jean-Luc had to admire the courage it must have taken to pull out that old rumor about Kirk and Spock. The events of Ambassador Spock's first wedding attempt were supposed to be a secret, but like most secrets meant to be kept about living legends, everyone knew anyway. Jay had stepped back again, and this time Marrissa stepped forward, dressed in the brand new dress white uniform. Her alto voice seemed to drift into the first line.

I'm looking for something in white

Something light and cool in the summer's light

Torture, uncomfortable to wear

Should I wear a sword or a phaser to bear

The tailoring must be fine, and the collar tight

I'm looking for something in white

Jean-Luc had to admire the lines on the dress uniform. It summed up his own feelings on every dress uniform he'd worn in his career. Marrissa stepped back, and Jay stepped forward again, his outfit having changed to the blue jumpsuit with pockets of the NX-01 Enterprise.

I'm looking for something in blue

Something real shiny the job's brand new,

Thanks to my father's warp five engine.

We once were innocent, now we're more like friends

Don't tell me that's just what you old aliens do

I'm looking for something in blue

With Jay in that blue loose jumpsuit, Jean-Luc was drawn back to the tales he'd once read of Captain Archer and the NX-01 Enterprise. At the time it had sounded like a glorious adventure, boldly going where no man had gone before every week. He stepped back from the spotlight again, and Marrissa stepped up into his place. Jean-Luc's daughter was wearing her duty uniform, and stood at attention, her right hand snapping up into an ancient earth salute. It dropped back down to her side, and she began to sing again.

I'm looking for something in red

Like the one that I wore when I first sat on the bridge

Crimson or scarlet with a rank pip right there

Just a size larger that I wore last year

The guaranteed number to command the bridge

Clara joined Marrissa in the spotlight, her uniform on as well. "I'm looking for something"

Jay then stepped into the light, also in uniform, his third quick change of the number, "I've gotta have something."

Then together they all sang the last line, "I'm looking for something in red"

As the last notes died out, the clapping began. Jean-Luc found himself smiling widely as his daughter and her best friends took a bow. He glanced at the judges ... surely they'd find that a hard act to follow all night long.


End file.
